The demand for fusion wear, and pieces that last longer than one event for today's practical, budget savvy professional Indian girl has given rise to a new style of formal wear. This style combines elements of the traditional hand loom and embroidery techniques for touches of finery and class but balances them with subtle statements of quality and casual, but not inelegant class to create an outfit that is flexible and re-workable. The latest entry into this category is the lengha. Arguably once the sacred territory of brides and princess, it is being deconstructed and imagined in less fussy designs for universal appeal. while it once may have been a faux pas to wear a lengha to a wedding as anyone other than a guest of honour, these pieces can be mixed and matched with any number of cholis and dupattas to create looks that vary from the incredibly opulent to relaxed and inviting.
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| This Ridhi Mehra number shows restraint through the placement of luxurious zari embroidery at strategic points on the gown, rather than overwhelming the entire outfit. For a more formal event, one could swich out the choli for one that is made of gold sequinned fabric, and replace the dupatta with a heavier silk piece. |
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Arguably the godfather of this new style, Sabyasachi reworks traditional Indian silhouettes in rich
but less shiny fabrics like chintz, linen and raw silk with minimal embroidery for more wearability. |
Jade by Monica and Karishma is a label favoured very strongly by Aishwarya lately, and I think pieces like this really make the case. Simple in black, with a touch of whimsy by the scallopped, jewelled hemline. For a younger, more casul look, replace the choli with a black crop t-shirt.
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| Similar to the first Sabyasachi design above, I adore the styling of this piece as worn by Kangana Ranaut. The choli makes the whole outfit more formal, and if you really wanted to go all out, that choli would look great with a heavily embroidered saree. |
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| Slightly more formal than the others because of the heavy design on the panels of this piece, it is still arguablly a very casual piece by Manish Malhotra's standards. And it has been brought down to earth a bit with the simple raw silk top. |
